Whoever thought scyphates were a good way to mint coins wasn't the brightest bulb on the porch. I don't adhere to the theory that the shape made them more stackable. If anything, a stack of geometrically irregular coins would take up much more space than flat ones. That being said, they are a very intriguing alcove in the cathedral of minting techniques, if impossible to photograph. I won't have to point out to you all that there are holes in this coin, but these are not from circulation. The very thin flan separated in a few spots, as this coin received an unusually forceful strike. I imagine a conversation... "Kindly giveth me a goodly strike, master coyner." "Oh, thou wantest a goodly strike, dost thou?" "Yea, verily!" BAM "There now, thou havest a goodly strike forsooth." (Or something to that effect but probably in Latin) Not only was this coin hammered, but it was hammered from brand new dies. I haven't seen such extremely fine features on the portrait of Christ in the billon issues. The reverse with Alexius and Constantine (now a saint) is also excellent. We've had discussions as to whether or not one buys holed coins and why. Here is my answer...
I have one example, but so faint I can't seem to photograph it as well as yours above... Weird coin, and I guess the 'stackable' argument was made to find some logical reason for making them at all... I thought they were simply deformed coins when i first saw one LOL
That is an outstanding specimen, albeit the holes. Trachys are a hard bunch to collect as most of the specimens available look crappy with poor strikes or too worn to identify. Here is an example of deformed trachy that was intentionally done with a good strike: Bulgaria: Konstantin I Asen (1257-1277) Æ Trachy (Raduchev & Zhekov 1.4.3-6, Youroukova & Penchev-39) Obv: Facing bust of Christ Pantokrator; IC XC/+ + across field Rev: Half-length facing bust of Konstantin I, holding labarum and globus cruciger
that's another nice one, i thought mine was pretty good on the details...and it is, but yours is great...especially the details on the young jesus. i always like that it was a picture of him as a boy as well, instead of the usual bearded adult. i have two, this is my best one...
Here's my one cup-shaped Bi-trachy of Isaac---and they do stack nicely.....perhaps ancient poker players preferred them two to one over flat coins???
Let's track some tricky trachys . Here are some of my better specimens. Kingdom of Thessalonica: Theodoros Comnenus-Ducas (1224-1230) AE Trachy, Thessalonica (Sear-2168, Sommer-73.6) Obv: Facing bust of Christ Emmanuel with scroll Rev: Emperor with labarum and globe cruciger; manus dei above; Legend around - ΘΕΟΔWPOC ΔECΠOTHC KOMNHNOC O ΔOVKA/C Byzantine Empire: Michael VIII Palaeologus (1261-1282) Æ Trachy, Thessalonica (Sear-2309; DOC 186-90; PCPC 84) Obv: Large lis Rev: Michael standing facing, holding large, voided cross and akakia; small lis in left field Bulgaria: Todor Svetoslav (1300–1322) Æ Trachy (Youroukova & Penchev-55) Obv: Large cross; annulets at each point Rev: Todor Svetoslav facing on horseback right, holding cross-tipped scepter; left legend - ΘЄO; right legend – цр Moushmov 7476, 7474; Plate LXIII 15
Great coin! This is the sort of coin I would buy for my technical collection. I have a feeling the mint of Alexius employed a very big guy on hammer. Mine seems defective with no holes. It has as deep a cup as any I have. Quat's Theodoros has the sharpest letters I have seen on a cup. These things are not the easiest to photograph.
=> hey JA, I'm pretty sure that the disc-shape merely makes them stronger than being regular ol' thin flat coins (know what I mean, brother?) ... I may be wrong, but I doubt it in this case (I went to skool) oh, but it's certainly another sweet score ... => I have a couple of random cup examples ... Ummm, the last example (Andronicus-II) looks like it was smoked pretty hard by the hammer-man, eh?!
Here is a rare trachy that you don't run into often. It is modeled after a gold hyperpyron from the same ruler. The condition is pretty good for its rarity: Byzantine Empire: Andronicus II Palaeologus (1282-1328) Trachy, Constantinople (Sear-2334) Obv: Bust of the Virgin, arms spread, within the walls of Constantinople with 6 groups of triple towers, sigla in lower fields A - X Rev: Christ standing on the right, facing three-quarters lefty, holding Book of Gospels, placing right hand on the head of Andronikos prostrate in proskynesis, Greek legend in fields IC - XC (right) and ANDRONIKOS EN HO DESPOTIS O PALLO (left) Here is the gold hyperpyron that it was modeled after. This particular coin is not mine though:
